Migrating Birds as Dispersal Vehicles for West Nile Virus

Whereas migrating birds have been implicated in the spread of West Nile virus (WNV), there is no direct evidence of birds actively migrating while infectious. The role of birds in WNV dispersal is difficult to assess in the field. However, this role can be evaluated experimentally because birds in m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:EcoHealth 2006-06, Vol.3 (2), p.79-85
Main Authors: Owen, Jennifer, Moore, Frank, Panella, Nicholas, Edwards, Eric, Bru, Rachel, Hughes, Megan, Komar, Nicholas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aves
Bird migration
Birds
Catharus ustulatus
Dispersal
Disposition
Dumetella carolinensis
Infection
locomotion
Locomotor activity
Migration
migratory behavior
Recruitment
Turdidae
Vector-borne diseases
Viremia
West Nile virus
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Summary:Whereas migrating birds have been implicated in the spread of West Nile virus (WNV), there is no direct evidence of birds actively migrating while infectious. The role of birds in WNV dispersal is difficult to assess in the field. However, this role can be evaluated experimentally because birds in migratory disposition display increased locomotor activity or restlessness under captive conditions. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) migrating passerine birds continue to exhibit migratory activity while infectious with WNV and (2) the migratory state of the individual affects the magnitude of viremia. We examined the migratory activity of two neoarctic-neotropical passerine migrants, Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus) and gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), during acute WNV infection. All gray catbirds and six of nine Swainson’s thrushes exhibited migratory activity while infectious. Moreover, migratory status did not appear to influence viremia titers, as might be expected if individuals were immunosuppressed during migration. Therefore, we demonstrate that migrating passerine birds are potential dispersal vehicles for WNV.
ISSN:1612-9202
1612-9210
DOI:10.1007/s10393-006-0025-9